


Death's Eyes are Green

by KiaCoral



Category: Free!
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Gen, High Speed references and possible spoilers, M/M, Minor Character Death, Rating May Change, Undecided Relationship(s), too many chars, will add pairings as i go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-09-29
Packaged: 2018-02-14 06:57:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2182242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiaCoral/pseuds/KiaCoral
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fantasy AU.</p>
<p>The Prince of Ea, Haruka Nanase, is finally turning 18, and everyone is invited; even those with ill-intentions and secret agendas.</p>
<p>After an attempt on his father's life, Haruka and his friends find themselves caught in the middle of what seems to be the start of chaos throughout the Kingdoms for the first time in centuries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Birthday to Remember

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all.
> 
> I've been working on this idea for the a very long time (at least since Free first came out) and even though it's still very much in the works, and having no beta whatsoever, I decided to unleash this story on the fandom and see what happened.
> 
> I messed with the ages for a few (specifically one) of the characters, and some of the relationships are different as well due to some of the circumstances in the story. so please, chill, if that bothers you. or don't read if that bothers you. Also, Makoto is my fav char, so, yeah, biased. And despite the tag, Gou and Seijuuro aren't going to have that big of a role in this story (at least I don't think they are). The main focus will by on the main cast of boys mostly.
> 
> fyi though, all my works (which I will be posting more of cause, seriously, I love my ideas, and want to share, though that hardly ever happens in real life) I write for FUN. I write when I when I feel like it, and that is very sporadic at best, so unfortunately, don't be expecting lots of updates.
> 
> anyway, hope you (whoever took the time to read this in the first place) enjoy my story.

  

_There is a manor that sits at the top of a forested hill, over looking a generous town by the sea in the prospering Kingdom of Ea. There is nothing worthy of note about this manor compared to any other in the Kingdom of Water; three stories of dark wood and stone, surrounded by ever-blooming flowers of all colors and filled with the happy laughter of childhood. Its noble residents oversaw the town below it as leaders, peacekeepers and neutral counsel._

_One couldn’t say anything ill about the family of 3; a kind father, a doting mother, and an angel for a son. It was rumored that the family members were the last descendants of an ancient race that could heal the sick and raise the dead, and many of the townspeople claimed that their current ills--be they physical or emotional--vanished upon leaving the manor. Others said the family must be related to the heroes and kings of old, who were renowned for their compassion and goodwill._

_The servants loved the family dearly, all strays of some ill-fate that the family wordlessly took in with warm smiles and loving hearts. All of them were completely devoted to their masters--their family--and would lay down their lives to protect them. No one in the town doubted that the family was loved by all who met them._

_Even the Ea and Sohrab Royal families visited often enough that the sight of the fancy carriages and serious looking guards dressed in royal blues or reds were not an unusual sight._

_So it was with absolute horror and disbelief that townspeople saw the manor burned to the ground one summer evening, the pained and fearful cries of its inhabitants echoing all the way down the hill._

_Many of the townsmen had charged up the hill with buckets full of water, but were unable to even get within 30 feet of the building, the flames unnaturally hot and bright. They could only watch helplessly as the inferno turned the manor and everyone inside to ash._

 

* * *

 

Nereus, the shining pearl of the Ea Kingdom was in an uproar of festivity. For their Prince, Haruka Nanase, was finally coming of age. Everyone was invited, and many of the neighboring Kingdoms were attending. No man, woman, or child wanted to miss out on the biggest social event to happen in the Kingdom of Water since the Prince’s birth.

One would think the people would grow weary of the amount of activity, the amount of preparation required for such an occasion, as only several months prior the young king of Sohrab had come of age as well. Though not of their kingdom, the people of Ea celebrated the young King’s birthday with gusto.

However, amidst the atmosphere of good cheer, there was one person who remained indifferent at best and irritated at worst.

The very Prince himself.

Haruka Nanase, a handsome young man with ink black that shone dark blue in the light and eyes that could put the very ocean to shame, was a quiet and solitary person by nature. He preferred to spend his time swimming in the many pools, ponds and lakes on the castle grounds than to interact with people. If not immersing himself in his beloved element, the Prince could be found working at his art--be it with a paintbrush or with a rapier in his hand.

To the few people who met him, he appeared aloof and cold, his disinterest in vocal communication mixed with an inclination to find most things annoying, left many bitter first impressions. Despite this however, the people who remained around him consistently were able to see a softer, subtler kind of benevolence that appeared in the smallest of actions; small murmured words of encouragement, little gifts in the shape of sketches, precious stones and even a kitten on one memorable occasion.

Prince Haruka was, for most, an enigma that young girls fantasized about, and a role model for young boys aspiring to protect the Kingdom. He had few to little friends, and that was perhaps, the only thing he was looking forward to on his birthday.

 

* * *

 

“Why am I not surprised I’d find you here?”

Haru, his preferred name of address, didn’t turn his gaze from the glass-domed ceiling as he responded while floating in the water, “What are you doing here?”

A young man, his wine red hair loosely falling around a sharp and handsome face, rolled his eyes with a huff, resting a hand on his hip, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were unhappy to see me Haru.”

It was Haru’s turn to roll his eyes, flipping under the water so he could ignore the irritant he grudgingly called his friend, who immediately shouted at him to get out of the water. Just to spite him, Haru stayed under as long as possible, making sure to swim to the opposite side of the pool where he could glare at the other petulantly when he eventually surfaced, eyes just barely above the surface.

Rin Matsuoka, King of Sohrab, crossed his arms and glared right back, his bright ruby eyes an equal match for his friend’s defiant blue ones, “You have to get out of there sometime--it’s your freaking birthday after all.”

“Don’t want to.”

“Don’t want t--you can’t _not_ show up to your _own_ birthday party!”

“Go for me.”

“Do you seriously think that would fool anyone?! We look nothing alike!”

Haru glanced to the side thoughtfully, before looking at Rin with a calculated interest.

The King immediately glared, “Don’t even think about it.”

With a secret quirk of his lips, Haru dived back under and shot through the water to the other side so he was closer to Rin. He quickly pulled himself out and shook his hair, reaching down for a the towel he had left on the side. Rin huffed and crossed his arms, but made no move to leave as Haruka slipped a light blue robe over his shoulders.

Haru glanced at his friend curiously. It had been a few months since they had spoken to each other, the most recent reunion being the King’s birthday in fact. Haruka ran a discerning eye over the redhead, noting the stiff shoulders and the way Rin’s ringed fingers continued to run over the hilt of a long curved sword hanging at his hip.

Something was bothering the young King, and Haruka had a sinking feeling that he knew what that something was. He turned his eyes away, long tapered fingers carelessly rubbing the towel over his hair. The Prince had known the other long enough to know that the redhead would talk when he was ready. All Haru had to do was wait, and perhaps actually make the effort to break the ice a little.

Haruka let out a sigh, “So.”

“So?”

“What are you doing here? The party doesn’t start for another few hours…”

Rin flicked his tongue behind his teeth with a scowl, “There something wrong with wanting to talk before we have to put on airs?”

“So talk then.”

Haru looked over his shoulder while placing the towel around his shoulders, watching as a few emotions passed over Rin’s sharp features before settling on worn, resigned and not a little bit irritated. Haruka sighed again and started walking towards the exit. If the King was going to be stubborn then Haru might as well make use of the time he had while waiting for Rin to open up.

“Oi, where are you going?” Rin’s voice was laced with frustration as it echoed around the spacious area.

“To get ready for my stupid party.”

 

* * *

 

With Rin trailing behind like an angry little storm cloud, Haru made his way to his ‘room’. Though, in all honesty, his ‘room’, was actually a single-story house that had once been used as a sort of live-in quarters for servants most likely. But, that had been decades ago, and as soon as Haru had been old enough, had claimed the abandoned little place for himself. It was situated deep within the middle of the palace water gardens--though really, _all_ of the gardens could be considered ‘water gardens’--on a little island surrounded by a small moat filled with fish, lilies and other flora and fauna.

It was Haruka’s haven away from the stricter life in the palace; away from the opulence, the constant bowing and fussing, and his parents. Make no mistake, Haruka held a great deal of affection and admiration for his parents and vice versa. It was just easier on the royal family and everyone else for Haru and his parents to only deal with each other in controlled doses.

Prolonged exposure lead to heated arguments, stony silences and an overall hostile environment where any nearby water had a tendency to freeze or shoot up like geysers. Haruka and his parents were just too dissimilar and yet _too_ similar in certain aspects to get along completely.

So, Haruka lived by himself in a full-functioning house and only came out of it for certain occasions or when necessary. The Prince had refused all attempts by his parents to have a personal servant stay with him, and any servant that did try was eventually chased out. Besides the obvious freedom living by himself provided, being independent had a few other benefits.

“Mackerel _again_?”

Haru kept his eyes on the fish as he grilled it in the well-furnished kitchen he used to make most of his meals. Rin watched him incredulously from his position leaning against the odd bar-like division between the kitchen and the main living area.

“I like mackerel.”

“...you should really expand on your diet Haru, eating mackerel for every single meal can’t be healthy.”

Haruka frowned at the King over his shoulder, his opinion on the matter obvious.

Rin scowled and ran a hand through his hair angrily, pulling at the thin circlet that marked him as King, “Whatever.”

Satisfied with that answer, Haru refocused on his late lunch, “Sousuke not with you?”

“He’s talking with the rest of your guards I believe; wants to make sure there are no surprises,” Rin said lowly as he tilted his head back, fingers dancing along his sword’s leather wrapped hilt.

Haru hummed in acknowledgement, taking note of the unconscious action before refocusing on his fish. The Prince only had to wait for a few more moments before the King spoke up again.

“Have you heard about the recent attacks?”

Haruka put out the stove and slid his mackerel onto a waiting plate with rice and a few vegetables before turning to face Rin.

_Finally._

“Yes.”

An uneasy silence fell around the two. It had been centuries since any real unrest had occurred within the Kingdoms. There were five in total; Ea, Sohrab, Fultura, Chedomir and Vercingetorix. If history and legend were to be believed, at one time, all five of the Kingdoms had once been one giant empire under a ruler called Nyx.

According to the stories, Nyx was a just ruler, until one day, he suddenly changed, and became a tyrant. When it came to the point that Nyx was setting towns ablaze just because he could, his top five Generals gathered any loyal followers and rebelled. No one knows why, but at the end of the civil war that lasted years and left the land in ruins, the five Generals divided the empire between them. To prevent another Nyx, the Generals continuously visited each other, forming a sort of system where if a General strayed from the righteous path, the others could prevent it.

Since then, the five Kingdoms hadn’t seen a sign of war or unrest.

_And now…_

“...They almost got Seijuuro…”

Haru felt a jolt of alarm and concern go through him. Haru and the Mikoshibas were not particularly close, but the raven haired teen still considered the three siblings to be friends of a sort. It was mostly due to Rin’s close relationship with the Vercingetorix Royals and Gou--Rin’s younger sister who was the fiancee to the eldest, Seijuuro--that Haru even knew them. However the phantom ache of a loss that had never quite left his heart made him more empathetic towards Rin, who also shared his pain.

Haru watched his unnaturally quiet friend closely.

“Is he ok?”

Rin nodded jerkily, hand unconsciously pulling at his circlet, “Yeah, they came in the night, so they got him by surprise, but Seijuuro isn’t the King of Vercingetorix for nothing.”

Vercingetorix, much like Ea was known as the Kingdom of Water, was known as the Warrior Kingdom. Physical prowess was held in the highest regards in a Kingdom where a year long tournament decided who ruled. That said however, the Vercingetorix crown had not left the Mikoshiba family since it’s foundation; the fact that the Mikoshibas were descendants of the General that the kingdom was named after, had little to do with their extensive years of rule.

Haru hesitated, but gathered his courage to speak his thoughts, “Was anyone…?”

Rin shook his head with a sigh, “No. Apparently the assassins ignored everyone in favor of going for Sei. Sei managed to fend them off long enough for Momo and their sister to notice. But once the other two arrived, the assassins retreated. Sei’s been recovering in secret for the past few weeks now.”

Haru felt his hands tighten into fists unconsciously, “I’d heard about the attacks on nobles and guild leaders. Why haven’t I heard about--”

“Vercingetorix decided that it would be wiser to keep the fact that their King was almost killed hush-hush until they learned more. I only know cause Gou told me, and since I’m technically the guy’s brother-in-law and a King to boot, well…”

“Does my father know then?”

Rin glanced at him, “...Yes.”

Haru grit his teeth angrily. This was just one more thing that the Prince and his parents disagreed upon. Haruka may have no real interest in ruling Ea, but that didn’t mean he planned on shirking his studies and duties in that regard. He wasn’t _that_ irresponsible. His parents’ habit of keeping him in the dark had lead Haruka to learn how to sneak around and eavesdrop from a very young age.

It was the only way for him to know what was happening outside the palace walls, and if there was one thing Haruka disliked besides being weak and helpless, it was being ignorant.

“...What about the other Kingdoms?”

The redhead remained silent for a moment, but spoke up reluctantly when Haru’s eyes narrowed dangerously, “None of the other Royal families have been attacked since Seijuuro--we assume that its either because the assassins are now wary due to the fact that Seijuuro actually managed to kill two of them while severely injured, or--”

“They’re just waiting for the right time.”

Rin nodded, “Besides that, several more deaths have been accounted for in Fultura, Chedomir and Sohrab following the attempt on Seijuuro’s life. All were high-ranking nobles with close ties to the Kingdom’s structure--councilmen, guild leaders, even a few generals.”

“They’re trying to tear the Kingdoms apart from the inside,” Haru deduced, getting a grim nod in return.

“That’s what we’ve come to believe so far, yes. As of now, every Kingdom has been attacked except--”

“Ea.”

Rin nodded. Haru crossed his arms, glancing down and to the side so his bangs covered his eyes. He let out a deep sigh.

“I knew having this party was a stupid idea.”

 

* * *

 

It was only a few hours later, when the sun was casting everything on fire and the palace’s white walls glowed with a holy brilliance that Haru finally left his safe haven with Rin in tow. Dressed in his most comfortable outfit that was socially appropriate for such a large gathering--a dark blue double breasted jacket with white lapels, gold filigree and black slacks with knee high boots--with his newly sharpened rapier attached to his side, Haru could only hope that he wouldn’t be force to use it.

Rin, like him, had thought ahead and worn an outfit that was both comfortable and pleasing to the eye; his outfit consisting of a skin tight shirt that was covered by an overly large robe and draped with tasseled scarves with loose pants that gathered at the ankles. Haru eyed the long sword hanging at Rin’s side, the King’s hand resting easily on the pommel while his fingers continuously moved with some unheard beat. The blue eyed Prince was tempted to roll his eyes at his friend’s constant fidgeting.

Haru blinked at the sight of a very tall young man with dark brown hair dressed in somber grays and blacks waiting for them just as they entered the palace. The young man tilted his head respectfully, teal eyes lighting up briefly with a familiar friendliness.

“Sousuke, it’s good to see you again.”

“Likewise, your Highness,” the bodyguard/Advisor said with a small smile before nodding at Rin, “Preparations are as good as they’re going to get at this point--the only thing we could do was place more guards around the perimeter and make sure the King and Queen are protected at all times.”

Rin clicked his tongue irritably as he rubbed his neck, “That still leaves a lot of holes…”

Sousuke shrugged helplessly, “Ea does not have a strong focus on military personnel--none of the Kingdoms do, except Vercingetorix and even that’s more because they take pride in their fighting ability--even with the additional guards brought in by nobles or the other Royals’ personal guards, we’re stretched thin. We just don’t have enough people. And to attempt to check every single person who comes in here would be impossible.”

“Have the royal families of the other Kingdoms arrived yet?” Haru asked, motioning for the three men to continue moving while they talked.

Rin glanced at Sousuke, who immediately answered with a grim look, “Yes, though Seijuuro and Gou are not here,” a short nod from the redhead confirmed Sousuke’s theory that information had been traded freely between the two Royals, “Prince Momotarou has come to represent Vercingetorix in his brother’s stead and practically pushed the few men he brought with him on us. The first Prince of Chedomir, Nagisa Hazuki and the second Prince of Fultura, Rei Ryuugazaki brought typical escorts. They’re both here on behalf of their fathers.”

“Well that’s something at least--Nagisa and Rei are no pushovers, so we won’t have to worry about them too much,” Rin muttered but then let out a sigh, “Though their escorts won’t be much use in a down and dirty fight, huh.”

Haru didn’t reply. It was a well known fact that amongst the Kingdoms, Fultura and Chedomir were the least battle oriented. While they still had a military and everyone in the Royal family received martial arts and weapons training, their skill levels were no where near the levels of the other three. Ea and Sohrab were even known for hosting a bi-yearly tournament to promote relations and to keep their skills sharp, as even back when the Generals were still alive, there had been an intense rivalry between the two.

The Ea Prince glanced up at the ceiling thoughtfully, “Nagisa and Rei can help us keep an eye out on the guests. I suppose Momotarou could help as well...”

He continued speaking when this earned him curious looks, “The guards won’t be of much use, so we might as well put them along the perimeter. Besides, we’ll already be inside mingling, which will allow us to patrol the guests at the same time.”

“That’s a lot of people to look over, with just six of us,” Sousuke murmured.

Haru shrugged, “We’ll make do.”

“Like we have a choice?” Rin retorted.

 

* * *

 

The party was in full swing, and Haru was absolutely positive that if another girl looking for his attention approached him, he’d slice his nose off just to spite them. Maybe then they’d leave him alone. No, on second thought, they’d probably swarm him out of worry. Haruka’s lips frowned in distaste at the very idea and so tossed out any thoughts of self-harm to escape. Instead, he swept his gaze across the ballroom from his position on the second floor balcony, arms crossed casually against the railing.

He easily spotted his friends, their distinct physical appearances setting them apart from the rest of the guests like gems among pebbles. Nagisa was as bright, bubbly and young-looking as ever; his short honey blond hair bouncing as he excitedly talked with a couple of young girls. It said something of Nagisa’s nature that even as he made the girls laugh and blush his cerise colored eyes constantly moved about with a hidden gleam, his fingers fiddling absently at his sleeves where Haru knew he kept a pair of small blades. After thoroughly talking with one group he would slink through the crowds and talk with another group, sticking to the areas closest to the doors.

Haru had faced off against Nagisa many times before, and the younger teen always somehow managed to surprise him with new tricks he learned from his many older sisters. Also, the way the blond’s arms seemed to suddenly lengthen at random times threw off his opponents’ timing when it came to blocking.

Rei on the other hand was the exact opposite, not only in appearance but in personality. For the most part. The second Prince of Fultura was a tall man with vivid blue hair and amethyst eyes that were offset by a pair of red glasses, which he constantly pushed up his nose. Haru had never met a more paradoxical person his entire life. While he could spout off theories and facts like he was commenting on the weather--Haru never wanted to know how clouds were formed and so on, ever again--the young man couldn’t seem to _apply_ that knowledge in real life. Haru hadn’t thought it possible for someone to fail so miserably with every single weapon except for glaives.

Not too mention his attempts at riding on horseback. Haru couldn’t help but smile as he recalled Rei’s attempts; the bluenette couldn’t even look at a horse without flushing in embarrassment now.

At the moment, it looked like the blue haired Prince was talking enthusiastically to a group of older men--and dazzling them into stunned silence. They didn’t seem to notice the rather beautiful but deadly glaive slung over the Prince’s back, nor the way his gaze swept over the dance floor. He kept a solid guard closest to the tables and chairs set up for those not wanting to dance.

Haru’s eyes finally fell upon the group of young men talking near the raised dais where his parents were animatedly conversing with a few other nobles. Rin’s eyes met his briefly before the young King returned to listening to the youngest Prince of Vercingetorix. Momotarou was almost the spitting image of his older brother, the same fiery bright red hair and gold eyes that glowed with energy. They even had the same flirtatious personalities, though whether this was just a form of sibling admiration or not was undetermined.

The young Prince was no slouch when it came to fighting either, though one would never be able to tell that there was a natural predator within the laid back teen. Haru had seen many an experienced warrior fall under those abnormally powerful and lightning fast fists and feet. He and Rin were strategically placed so that both had a clear view of anyone who approached the dais.

Haru was slightly surprised to see a gray haired teen between them. Haru wasn’t particularly acquainted with Nitori, Rin’s full-time Advisor, unlike Sousuke who doubled as a bodyguard. The teen was a very earnest type of person with a kind heart and a good head on his shoulders from what Haru had seen. However, Haru found his constant praises for Rin to be annoying at times. The Ea Prince didn’t understand how someone like Nitori could get along with Rin as an Advisor, though he supposed the boy’s honesty and compassion was necessary.

He also wasn’t much of a fighter. If Haru remembered correctly, he actually kind of sucked; too slow and easily flustered. But, Haru had never taken the time to get to know the other, so he kept his thoughts to himself.

Sousuke on the other hand was quite skilled. The bodyguard/Advisor knew Rin from childhood, training with the Matsuoka siblings in the royal palace and even spent a few years in Vercingetorix. Though the tall teen specialised in polearms, he knew how to handle a wide variety of weaponry. He was standing with his arms crossed loosely, eyes focused. As a bodyguard, he didn’t have to hide his intentions like the rest of his companions, and had positioned himself a little off to the side at the bottom of the dais’ steps.

Haru returned his gaze to the main area where many couples were dancing, others sitting in pairs along the walls, sipping at glasses of wine or champagne and nibbling on finger foods that servers passed out. Because the castle was opened to _everyone_ , Haru could see young and old moving about. Mothers gossiping while keeping a firm hand on curious children, teenagers blushing and dancing, old men and women laughing at the antics of youth and fathers talking about business. Like Sousuke had said, keeping track of everyone was impossible.

So, he wasn’t exactly sure what caused him to turn at that exact moment--instinct, perhaps--but his eyes immediately fell upon a couple dancing close to the dais--a young man around Haruka's age, dancing with a young girl in his arms, siblings perhaps. The man had dark black hair that framed a soft looking face, dressed in simple formal wear commonly seen in Ea. The girl, also dark of hair that went past her bare shoulders in small waves, wore a dark lacy green dress with black trim and a matching hair ribbon.

He watched them for a moment, wondering what it was about the two that drew his attention, when he saw the young man lift the girl up by her trim waist as dictated by the dance--along with every other dancing couple in the room--giving her a clear shot to throw the dagger that magically appeared in her gloved hand. Her gaze was focused on Haruka’s father.

“ _Sou!_ ” Haru shouted in alarm, body already moving towards the stairs.

_He had to get down there._

The girl’s arm swung up and around in an elegant sweep just as she reached the highest point in the air, sending the dagger flying from her delicate fingers with sharp flick of her wrist. Haru’s shout drew many gazes, but only five reacted in response. Sousuke was the first to move, his gaze having been focused on the dance floor to begin with. Momotarou and Rin were seconds behind him, but Nagisa and Rei were too far away to do anything.

Haru watched as Sousuke’s arm shot out, barely knocking the dagger off course. Even so, the blade still embedded itself into dark wood inches from his Father’s throat, drawing startled shouts. Chaos slowly erupted in the ballroom.

Haru launched himself off the staircase, eyes immediately searching for the couple amongst the panicking guests, trusting Rin and Sousuke to deal with his parents’ safety. Again, he didn’t know why, but his gaze swept over the crowd towards the servants’ entrance on the far side of the room and opposite of the main entrance. A flash of dark green was all he needed.

As he pushed through the crowd, Haru caught Rin’s eye who was ushering his parents through a side door.

_I’m going after them._

_Haru! Don’t be stupid!_

Haru broke through the crowd and burst through the swinging doors, barely catching Rin shouting at Sousuke to follow him. Without further thought, Haru dashed down the hall, blue eyes zeroing in on the distant figures fleeing. He saw the girl glance over her bare shoulder at the sound of the door banging against the wall.

Startled ocean blue met blank emerald green.

 _No one_ had green eyes.

Not anymore.

It was a rare genetic trait that had been lost in a sea of fire over eight years ago.

Haru stumbled to the side as a bolt almost took out his eye in his moment of shock, the male assassin tossing a collapsable crossbow carelessly over his shoulder as he grabbed the girl’s arm and ran.

“Haruka!”

The raven haired teen barely managed to catch himself as Sousuke suddenly came up behind him, the bodyguard bodily lifting him back onto his feet with one hand as he ran past, “Come on!”

Without further prompting Haru followed, the sound of the doors banging open behind them signaling reinforcements. A quick glance over the shoulder confirmed Nagisa and Rei charging after them. The quartet came out of the servants’ entrance into one of the main hallways in the palace, a window to their left showing the vast palace gardens. Halfway down the hall were the assassins.

Haru was never good at running, so he soon found himself lagging behind the other three, Sousuke’s long legs and Rei’s random experience in track easily closing the distance. The girl was having issues with her long dress, but the man had no such problems. Haru watched with a sort of distant curiosity as the man seemed to notice his companion’s lack of progress, skid to a halt and turn to face them with two short swords ready.

When the girl caught up, the man’s swords slashed through the air, severing the mass of thick material like butter. The girl didn’t even flinch, now sporting a skirt that barely reached her stocking covered thighs and revealed two long blades strapped to them at the same time. By then, Sousuke and Rei had closed the distance to several feet. The man immediately spun around, one hand latching onto the girl’s upper arm to help her along.

If it had been at any other time, Haru might have laughed; the girl, who was wearing a dangerous-looking pair of high heels, pulled her feet up to her chest in mid-run, snapped the shoes’ straps, hefted them up in her hand, and threw with sharp precision over her shoulder--causing Rei to let out a startled yelp as one caught him in the face--all by the time she landed back on her dainty stockinged feet. Nagisa let out a hearty laugh as he ducked under the shoe’s partner. With the dress out of the way and the girl now shoeless, the duo noticeably increased speed.

Sousuke cursed under his breath and picked up the pace, flicking his right hand down to release a small throwing knife. He flung it with a grunt at the man’s back. Haru watched in surprise as the girl’s hand shot out, snatching the knife out of the air inches from her companion’s back. The girl spared them a blank glance, the knife twirling between her gloved fingers before she flicked it back at them.

Sousuke returned the favor by deflecting the knife away from Rei--the target--with one of his short swords. The assassins’ pace didn’t falter.

Nagisa whistled under his breath, the physical strain noticeable in his voice, “T-they’re really good, h-huh?”

“You’d be better off focusing on catching them, not complimenting them Nagisa!” Rei snapped over his shoulder even as he let out a shaky breath.

“Less talking, more running,” Sousuke growled, pulling out two more throwing knives.

Sousuke sent the blades flying, only to have them pass through empty air as the pair suddenly leapt to the side--towards the windows.

_CRASH!_

“Shit--!” Sousuke gasped as the quartet slid to a halt at the shattered window.

Haru only waited a second to follow as Sousuke leapt through the opening, landing in a roll two stories below in the palace gardens. Haru turned to look up at the anxious faces of the younger Princes after rolling back up to his feet.

“Go help Rin!” he shouted while running after Sousuke who was already several feet ahead of him.

“Be careful!” Nagisa yelled.

Haru nodded sharply as he spun around and ran.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wooo~ chapter 2!
> 
> it's muuuuuch shorter than the first chapter, but, well, this thing was giving me a lot of issues, so.....
> 
> either way, i'm not exactly happy with how this chapter turned out, but i'd already rewritten it three times and it wasn't getting anywhere cause it kept deviating from my original goals (and i'm not entirely sure i even know WHAT my goals were to begin with actually) so, yeah. i figure i'll just get it out of my freaking hands before i decide to call a quits on this story entirely.

* * *

 

“...They’re still following.”

Izanami glanced at Orcus briefly before looking over her shoulder. She spotted the tall, dark haired one who had thrown the knives several feet behind them. She couldn’t see the Prince or any of the others.

“Only Sohrab’s bodyguard; we can lose him.” Izanami replied as the two of them crossed over a low bridge.

A slight whistle through the air was the only warning Izanami heard before Orcus’s hand shot out once again to snatch a knife out of the air and away from her exposed back. Orcus brought the blade up to his face before glancing at his glove covered fingers. Izanami felt a small pang of concern as she noted the amount of blood staining the black material, the blood turning the gloves shiny in the small amount of moonlight.

“...He’s good,” Orcus murmured before tossing the blade into the water below the bridge.

“How are your feet?”

“Nothing I can’t handle; only a few cuts, and no pieces of glass.”

Izanami quickly looked away when she felt those large green eyes look up at her, the boy’s bemusement obvious, “...I still don’t see why I had to dress up like a girl. Wouldn’t it have been more logical for you to wear the dress?”

Izanami shook her head, the movement somehow odd without her typically longer locks to follow the action, “It might have been more logical, but this way, we can easily change and no one would recognize us.”

She almost let out a laugh as Orcus pursed his painted lips into a sulky pout, “...still doesn’t mean I had to wear a dress--wouldn’t it have been easier to just dye my hair?”

Izanami shrugged her shoulders with a small secret smile, causing the boy to drift into a dejected sulk. The female assassin didn’t think it prudent to tell her partner that their leader--Pluto--thought Orcus was cuter, and thus would make a better girl. Though Izanami had been slightly insulted, she couldn’t deny that the boy was absolutely _adorable_. He made a really cute girl. The pouting was only enforcing the image.

Stifling what would most likely be a giggle, Izanami glanced over her shoulder to check on their pursuer’s progress. Orcus pushed her lightly to the side as another knife flew past into a couple of bushes. The man was getting closer, his longer legs allowing him to close the gap whenever they passed over an open area, such as the bridge earlier. Currently, they were running through an elaborate area filled with flowers and various statues.

If Izanami had been raised differently, she might have the found the gardens they were passing through to be quite beautiful. She knew for a fact that Orcus did, the occasional spark in his green eyes the only sign of his appreciation. Izanami just hoped that Orcus didn’t slip on accident.

Assassin or not--cold-blooded killer or not--there was one person Izanami cared for, and Orcus was the only one who _could_ protect that person from the life the two of them lived. She’d rather _die_ than let anything happen to--

Orcus stumbled, barely catching himself with his hands as his legs suddenly gave out.

Izanami slid to a halt, a feeling of dread welling inside her chest, “Orcus?”

The boy shook his head dazedly, eyes slightly glassy, “...I…”

“Finally started working, huh?”

Izanami’s dark eyes snapped up as she pulled out her short swords, placing herself in front of her partner as the bodyguard appeared on the path before them.

“How’d you get ahead of us?” Izanami snapped as she thought furiously.

She could hear as Orcus’ breathing became labored, interspersed with shaky gasps. The bodyguard looked at her with cold and indifferent eyes before his attention turned down towards Orcus.

“Have to say, I’m impressed. I’ve taken men down ten times her size with smaller doses,” the bodyguard turned his teal gaze on Izanami, “Judging by her current state and resistance to the poison, I’d give her no more than two minutes.”

Izanami glared, “...what do you want?”

The bodyguard tilted his head in acknowledgement to Izanami’s deduction, but there was a look of slight confusion on his face, “Who sent you?”

“Our boss.”

Teal eyes narrowed, “Funny.”

Izanami widened her stance as the man slowly drew a long sword from behind his back with a hair raising sound of leather sliding against metal, “Why are you attacking the Royal families?”

“Vengeance.”

The bodyguard gave her an incredulous look, “What ever _for_?”

Izanami kept her eyes focused on the man even as she felt slim fingers tug on her pant leg. She barely refrained from stiffening and glaring down at Orcus as she recognized the set pattern that he weakly signaled. Shaking away his hand from her leg, Izanami glared at the bodyguard with something close to hate.

“Give me the antidote.”

“You haven’t given me a straight answer, so no,” those cursed teal eyes flickered down again with a clinical curiosity, “...one minute.”

She felt Orcus pull at her leg again, a little firmer and with a hint of command behind it.

Izanami snarled and lunged forward, “Then I’ll just take it from your corpse!”

The man’s sword met her two blades easily, and Izanami felt her heart constrict. After so many years of fighting to the death and training, Izanami could usually tell when she was outmatched.

She didn’t want to admit it, but this man was stronger than her.

And he _knew_ it.

Izanami gritted her teeth as the man broke her guard with pathetic ease, knocking her arms apart to leave her torso exposed. She braced herself for the pain. However…

“So you really are a woman.”

Izanami felt the blood drain from her face as her mind caught up. There was a hand on her chest.

 

On. Her. _Chest_.

 

Izanami shrieked with a cold fury and attempted to take the man’s head off his broad shoulders.

The uncouth bastard didn’t even have the decency to allow her that much as he simply ducked away with a bored look, “I thought your voice was a bit too high for a man’s.”

Izanami swung out her leg to nail the man where it hurts, but he skipped away and behind her with a smug look, “...45 seconds.”

She charged, her strikes sharper, faster and most certainly aimed with the intent to cause the most pain. The bodyguard simply dodged or pushed her attacks aside with his sword, the upward quirk of his lips showing his amusement. Izanami grit her teeth angrily. Then, the bodyguard flinched, body staggering to the side and Izanami smirked.

The man looked down with incredulous eyes at Orcus, who despite looking like he was half-delirious with fever and laying on the ground, had managed to pull one of his swords out of its sheath and score a long slash on the bodyguard’s calf. Izanami took advantage of the man’s distraction and brought her swords up in a cross slash aimed at his throat. The bodyguard leaned backwards and Izanami scowled as she only felt the tip of her swords cut through flesh.

_What would it take to kill this man?_

But, Orcus picked up the slack for her--like always--and swung his legs out and around in an arc, using the man’s backward momentum to his advantage and kicked the bodyguard’s legs out from under him. The man let out a grunt as his back slammed into the ground, the wind knocked out of him. Before Izanami could do anything else, Orcus  was rolling on top of the dazed bodyguard and bringing both of his swords down in a reverse grip.

The man barely made a sound as his right shoulder was pierced while managing to catch Orcus’ left wrist in a tight grip and twisting it to the side, leading to a long gash across the bodyguard’s chest instead of a pierced heart. Izanami moved to help, but one good look from Orcus and she froze.

_Go. Now._

__

_But--!_

__

“ _Now_ , Zaki!” Orcus shouted as he struggled to keep the man from turning his own sword on him.

Izanami felt her heart flip at hearing _that_ name and opened her mouth to retort, but finally her ears picked up the sounds of multiple bodies moving towards them.

****  
  


_The Guards_ , Izanami realized with shame, casting a glance towards Orcus who was now too focused on keeping the bodyguard pinned. With an angry growl and mentally cursing Orcus, Izanami dashed away, throwing one last look over her shoulder as she vanished into the greenery.

_I’m coming back, so you better be alive Orcus._

**  
**She ignored how her eyes grew warm and her vision blurry while feeling like her heart was being ripped out of her chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! i don't know when the next chapter will be out, but at this point i'm losing momentum on it, so it probably won't be for a while unfortunately.
> 
> oh, and just fyi if you don't know this, but Izanami is the Queen of the Underworld in Japanese mythology. Orcus is also related to the Underworld, but he's from Roman mythology, same with Pluto. Kudos to anyone if they can guess who Orcus is (though i think i kinda made it obvious...).
> 
> and Zaki is from High Speed, but i totally failed to capture her character correctly in this version of the chapter (i think i had a better depiction of her in one of the previous attempts i did). i don't remember if they ever describe her in the light novel, so i just sorta gave her dark hair and eyes. if anyone knows what she looks like, please tell me so i can change it. :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> surprisingly i have a third chapter to give you all. o.O
> 
> but, this will be the only one for a while. several other little projects are calling out to me, and i need to work on them a little bit. 
> 
> sorry to say this is also really reallllllly short, even shorter than the first two i believe. and not much action this round either. oh, and i need ideas for what i should do next. anyone? aaaaannyone?

* * *

 

Sousuke cursed as he saw the female assassin disappear from the corner of his eye. He almost let out a shout as the little demon child on top of him twisted the sword in his shoulder, effectively halting all thoughts on pursuit.

“I won’t let you go.”

Sousuke stared into those large green eyes and had to repress a full body shiver, even as he struggled to unseat the young assassin. Those eyes were playing havoc on his mind, and the bodyguard didn’t appreciate the amount of effort it was taking to escape someone who was three times smaller than him.

There was something _wrong_ , and Sousuke wasn’t talking about the fact that assassins almost killed the King of Ea, or that the male assassin turned out to be a woman. Ever since he had seen those _green_ eyes every single instinct Sousuke had was screaming at him and memories that he had locked away were threatening to escape their prison.

Sousuke tightened his fist around the girl’s wrist and could feel the bones cracking under the pressure. The girl didn’t even flinch, let alone drop her sword. If anything, she gripped it tighter. Sousuke could only stare in disbelief.

Either the girl went through _inhuman_ training, or she _wasn’t_ human. Logically, Sousuke bet on the latter. But his gut instinct was _screaming_ for the former. Reason for why he thought so?

Sousuke had several, but the ones that stuck out the most vividly at the moment were; one, her ability to tolerate pain, two, the girl should’ve been dead _seconds_ after the poison entered her bloodstream, and three, the sheer amount of _strength_ she still possessed. Sousuke was no pushover; he was over six feet tall, made of muscle and had trained under the best for over half his life.

And he was being overpowered by a girl who barely reached his chest, probably weighed less than a hundred pounds, had a broken wrist and was poisoned to boot.

True, he had a sword pinning his shoulder to the ground leaving his right arm completely useless and was suffering from blood loss, but that was no excuse for the overwhelming frustration he felt as the girl managed to keep him down. The girl was _tiny_ , and _poisoned_ and _injured_.  

And she was _still_ trying to kill him!

Sousuke grit his teeth as he barely managed to keep the sword--that was once again aimed at his heart--above his chest by a few inches. He glared up into endless, fever bright green and despite his current situation--or maybe _because_ of his situation--found one word escaping his mouth.

“How?”

The girl blinked, finely arched brows furrowing in confusion even as the blade moved another millimeter closer to its target. Sousuke distantly heard the guards getting closer.

“How do you have _those_ eyes?” he gasped with just a hint of emotional turmoil lacing his voice with bitter sweetness.

The girl stared at him blankly for a long silent moment. Sousuke let out a breath of relief as the force pushing the sword down eased off abruptly as the girl straightened up, posture relaxed. He hissed when the sword in his shoulder was suddenly pulled out as well and looked up at the girl in bewilderment when she let out a quiet sigh, eyes closed.

Then she slumped over.

Sousuke sat up and grabbed her before she could fall over completely, pulling her against his chest and only wincing a little when the abrupt movement jarred his wounds, “O-oi!”

“Sousuke sir!”

The bodyguard looked up to see a group of guards rushing towards him. Sousuke quickly ignored them as he fumbled with the small leather pouch attached to his belt, pulling out a small glass vial. He broke the wax seal and pulled the cork out with his teeth before manhandling the girl on his lap so he could pour the antidote down her throat more easily.

All the while, the words _Don’t die_ continuously played in his head like a mantra. Sousuke didn’t think he could handle having another person with green eyes die--it just brought up too many bad memories. It didn't even matter that the girl was an assassin that had not only almost killed the King, but him as well.

“Sousuke!”

The bodyguard jolted in surprise when a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder--thankfully the uninjured one--and barely stopped from slamming his fist into the person’s face--who happened to be Haruka. The Prince looked no less for wear, maybe a little ruffled around the edges and breathing a little harder than normal, but unharmed. The guards were checking the surrounding area, a few standing by on alert, but overall leaving the bodyguard and Prince alone. Sousuke bet the Prince had something to do with that.

He let out a deep breath, “You’re a bit late, Highness.”

Haruka frowned and Sousuke flinched when the Prince poked his injured shoulder, “Ow! Hey!”

“Is she dead?”

Sousuke glared at the Royal before placing two fingers against the girl’s throat, finding a slow but strong pulse, “No. Just out.”

The bodyguard looked up when the Prince remained silent, “What?”

Haruka shrugged, “I thought you would’ve killed her.”

“You think I should?”

“Do you think you could?” was the immediate retort.

“I almost did,” Sousuke muttered to himself.

Haruka looked at him with an assessing gaze, then slapped him on the shoulder.

The injured one.

Sousuke yelped and fell over trying to get away, “ _OW! Shit!_ What the _hell_ Haruka?!”

“You should get that looked at,” the Prince said in a bored tone as he stooped down to lift the girl’s unconscious form into his arms, signalling one of the guards carrying a first aid kit over.

With tears at the corners of his eyes, Sousuke glared up at the Prince, who remained still as another guard came forward with a set of shackles and locked them around the assassin’s slim wrists, the left one looking crooked and turning a dark shade of blackish-purple. Sousuke turned his gaze away briefly.

“I’d tie her legs too if I were you.”

“O-of course, right away sir!”

Haruka waited as the guard ran off to find another pair and Sousuke hissed as the guard tending to his shoulder pour alcohol onto the wound. Sousuke watched the Prince, who was staring intently at the assassin in his arms. He could see those blue eyes running over the girl’s face like a focused beam, and the bodyguard couldn’t help but wonder if Haruka was aware of the girl’s eyes. Sousuke tilted his head when he saw the Prince’s face furrow slightly.

“What is it?”

Haruka didn’t answer, merely shifted his hold around the girl so he was only using one arm. With his freed hand, Haruka twined his fingers in the girl’s long black locks and gave them an experimental tug. Sousuke felt his stomach flutter as he realized what the Prince was doing a moment before the black hair--a _wig_ \--pulled away to reveal short, sweat dampened hair the color of cinnamon.

Sousuke felt his heart stop and whatever blood was still in his body freeze. Haruka actually fell to his knees, drawing startled shouts from the guards. The Prince raised a shaking hand to caress a face that had changed greatly over the years but was now shockingly recognizable in hindsight.

 **  
**“Makoto.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ................oh, the drama.........lol.
> 
> how many of you saw that coming? ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to meet the other side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok, hello all! i finally have another chapter for you guys, and hopefully it's not too crappy, but this one makes me real nervous and stuff, cause it deals with a bunch of chars that i don't know well enough to write in character. which is really a shame, cause they're very cool characters, but they're all from High Speed 2, and unfortunately, that's not in english nor is it fully scanned atm! so, i made due with what i had available, but i know I pretty much ruined the characters, and that wounds me terribly, cause i HATE THAT but if i didn't suck it up, i would never post another chapter ever again, which, yeah, uncool. 
> 
> either way, ignoring all my own personal issues with this, i hope you guys at least enjoy it some.

* * *

 

There was something to be said about silence.

 

It was invisible. It was untouchable. It had no physical shape, or weight to speak of and no distinctive smell. Silence was an entity that logically, could not be felt or seen by the human senses. It could not think, could not feel, and thus, was not alive.

And yet it could close around you like a physical presence with all the weight of a building. It could cause comfort, or discomfort like a human being. It could physically or emotionally affect others. It had all the characteristics of a living thing, and yet wasn’t.

At the moment, Izanami felt the silence like pin pricks against her skin as she knelt on one knee, head bowed in respect. The arching cathedral-like ceiling only seemed to amplify the lack of noise, not even the sound of a stray breeze or the fluttering of candle fire daring to enter the silent domain. The room was completely dark, the only source of light being the few meager candelabras framing a foreboding throne and whatever moonlight was able to peek through the clouds. She could just barely make out the figure of her leader standing in the throne’s shadow, his face thrown in stark contrast by the candle’s glow. Izanami could feel her body slowly tensing as time passed and the silence continued to grow.

He had his back towards the stained glass windows that almost reached the ceiling and glowed in the small amount of moonlight from outside. He had been standing there, silent, leaving Izanami kneeling on the dark wood floor for the past several minutes since she finished giving her report. The silence was becoming oppressive, and Izanami knew that is was most likely going to become worse.

Her leader handled words like the tools of their trade--gracefully and deadly--and was well aware of when to use them. Or not.

He was Pluto; tall, with gunmetal hair, and fair skinned with handsome features and oddly kind dark moss green eyes. He had an air of elegance about him that was not dissimilar to the wild grace of predators. Izanami watched as his thin lips curled into a small smile that was both benevolent and demonic in the candlelight.

Pluto terrified her.

A bright laugh from a different corner of the room startled her horribly enough for her to reach for her swords, the carefree sound breaking the silence like sunlight on a cloudy day. Another man, this one just as tall, if a little broader around the shoulders, stepped out of the shadows a few feet away from her.

“Come now Pluto, no need to scare the poor thing!” the man said in light admonishment as he waltzed along the edges of Izanami’s senses, “Look at her, she’s practically shaking!”

Pluto crossed his arms with a sigh, “I believe that is _your_ fault, Thanatos.”

Izanami took in a breath she hoped wasn’t as shaky as she felt, mindful of the way two pairs of eyes followed her hand as it moved away from her weapons. She knew the man hadn’t meant to scare the wits out of her; hiding one’s presence was as natural as breathing for people like them. Izanami just wasn’t as skilled as the two men in front of her to display such skill so casually. Nor skilled enough to sense them when they were within touching distance.

The female assassin couldn’t help but feel sorely inadequate and frustrated, the image of another man and her partner vivid in her memory. She was utterly useless.

Izanami hadn’t noticed the man at all, despite his bright and dynamic presence, which was glaringly obvious at the moment. His dark green hair and fire orange eyes only made him more noticeable. But despite the man’s amiable personality and cheery persona, he was no different really when compared to Pluto.

A predator through and through, and Izanami could feel her heart rate pick up to a panicked beat. Izanami had never been in the presence of _both_ of Tarturus’ leaders at once, that _special_ privilege only going to those who deserved their attention--be it praise or punishment.

And she had a gut feeling she was about to receive the latter.

Thanatos joined Pluto by the throne, taking a seat on the armrest with his arms and legs crossed casually. The differences in their postures was almost disorienting; the symbolic image of one man openly in the light, the other in the shadows, was not lost on the young woman. Izanami quelled the urge to fidget under her leaders’ assessing gazes, afraid that the silence would return once more tenfold.

She didn’t know whether to feel grateful or wary when Thanatos made a low, thoughtful sound.

Orange eyes flickered and glowed as the man spoke, “So?”

“Dead most likely,” was the monotone answer.

Izanami couldn’t help but freeze. But before she had time to think, Thanatos responded with a disbelieving snort.

“Are we thinking of the same kid here? Cause if I know Orcus--and I _do_ ,” Thanatos tipped to the side so he was lounging across the throne in a haphazard sprawl that somehow looked regal, “--then there’s no way some two-bit bodyguard could take him out.”

“Even if he was poisoned?”

“ _Especially_ if he was poisoned--Orcus would just fight back harder. Besides,” the green haired man tilted his head back so he could look Pluto in the eye, “it’s _Orcus_.”

Izanami felt like she was missing something. Orcus _was_ one of the best assassins in Tartarus, but she didn’t see how _that_ would be the deciding factor in Thanatos’ confidence. _She’d_ trust Orcus--she _does_ \--but _they_ weren’t the types to trust in others like that, even if said other was practically one of the leaders’ protege. Also, the way Thanatos emphasized her partner’s name spoke of some hidden knowledge. Izanami didn’t like that.

Pluto made an agreeable sound, and Thanatos smirked, “So?”

“Not dead.”

“Then?”

“We wait.”

“Wait?” Thanatos frowned and twisted himself upright.

“Yes.”

“ _Why_?”

Izanami could have sworn that Thanatos sounded almost angry. If he was anyone other than Thanatos.

The dark haired man gave his counterpart a deadpan look, “Because it’s _Orcus_.”

Thanatos blinked then chuckled softly, “Ha, touche.”

Izanami flinched when both men suddenly turned their gazes back to her. Thanatos glanced at Pluto.

“So?”

She mentally braced herself.

Pluto hummed, eyes hooded in thought, “I think a little more training would not be remiss.”

Izanami felt the air leave her lungs with relief as Thanatos agreed and the two men dismissed her. It took a great amount of willpower for Izanami to walk at a normal pace as she left the room and the two men behind. She didn’t relax until she had three sets of doors and a building between her and them, where she finally collapsed in her bedroom.

Her last coherent thought was of innocent green eyes and a heart warming smile.

* * *

 

Thanatos frowned as he watched the Yazaki girl disappear behind solid oak doors before turning to look at his friend.

“Are you really sure it’s alright not to go after him?” he asked as he stood up.

Pluto let out a tired sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Look, you and I both know that it’s _highly_ improbable for him to die, so why send in a couple of the kids to get him back when he can do it himself when he’s able?”

Thanatos growled and moved so he was barely an inch away from Pluto, “In case you forgot, Orcus isn’t the _only_ one _in_ there.”

Dark eyes narrowed, “You don’t trust Orcus?”

“I don’t trust _anyone_ \--’cept you--” he sincerely added when his friend’s face twisted into a scowl, “and as good as Orcus is, he’s not the _dominant_. Though it’s getting harder to see that as time goes on...”

Thanatos took one step back, allowing a little more space between them as he gave Pluto a worried look, “All it’ll take is _one_ little slip on Orcus’ part and _Makoto_ will be the one caught in a sticky situation--and knowing Makoto, he’ll take over as soon as he notices if Orcus is struggling.”

Pluto sighed and ran a hand through his hair, “What do you want me to do?”

“I _want_ us to go _get him_.”

“You know where he _is_ , right?” Pluto growled as he pushed Thanatos away from him completely.

“What does it matter if he’s in Nereus!” Thanatos tossed his hands up in exasperation.

Pluto’s face twisted in fury as he grabbed the other by the collar of his shirt, “It matters cause Nereus is filled with _Royals_ that nearly killed Zaki and took down Orcus! Do you _want_ more of our family to end up like Sugawara and Miyano?!”

All signs of irritation fled from Thanatos’ face, “...Nao…”

Nao sighed as he released his friend and turned around so his back was facing him. It’d been a long time since he slipped, but he wasn’t exactly surprised. The loss of two of their family had been a harsh blow. And now that their ‘eldest’ was missing and hurt, Nao didn’t really feel like keeping his other persona up at the moment. Besides, he could relax around Natsuya.

“...Let’s just wait till we know more, alright? If Orcus doesn’t get himself out of there within a couple days...” the cold persona of Pluto slid back into place for just a moment, “then _you_ and _I_ will go get him.”

Thanatos watched his friend’s back silently before he let out a small honest smile cross his lips, the Thanatos mask slipping off voluntarily. If _Nao_ was doing it, Natsuya didn’t see why he couldn’t too.

“Hey, don’t worry so much. We’re talking about Orcus and Makoto here,” he placed a comforting arm around the other’s shoulder, “If anyone can get out of there it’d be our little angel.”

Nao gave him with an incredulous look, “ _Angel_?”

“What? It fits!”

Nao shook his head as Natsuya laughed loudly, “Only you would call an _assassin_ an _angel_ of all things.”

“Hey, I never said he was an angel of hugs and kisses, did I?” Natsuya grinned, but then he turned thoughtful, “Though, Makoto actually does fit that description pretty well…Orcus on the other hand, eh, not so much. Angel of Death, _though_ \--”

“Since when did Makoto hug or _kiss_ anyone?” Nao exclaimed in surprise.

Natsuya laughed, “Oh come on, it’s totally innocent! Just a peck or two on the cheek, that’s all.”

“Who?!”

“Eh, I think, like, everyone?”

Silence.

“Oi, I didn’t break you did I?” Natsuya asked somewhat worriedly at his friend’s look of horror.

The oranged eyed man quickly continued when the other remained silent, “Look, you’re hardly around the kids these days, but whenever they come back from a mission, Makoto’s usually the first one to welcome them back home. If any of them had a particularly rough time, he gives a hug or a kiss or two--”

Nao elbowed his friend in the stomach, “You _do_ remember this is _Makoto_ we’re talking about, right!? _Our_ twelve year old _son_!”

Natsuya couldn’t help but laugh, even if he was bent over and a bit breathless, “Oh my _god_ , did your voice just _crack_? You’re acting like a mother protecting her daughter's virtue!”

The dark haired man flushed in embarrassment and scowled down at his friend, “Shut up.”

Natsuya only laughed harder, “God, I wish I could save this moment! That was priceless!”

“You wish,” Nao muttered as he shoved the laughing man over, “It wasn’t that funny.”

“No, it was _hilarious_.”

Nao rolled his eyes but his lips finally quirked up at the corners, “Your maturity is overwhelming.”

“Hey, when _my_ voice cracks, you can laugh all you want.”

“Why would I? I hear that all the time.”

“ _What_?!”

Nao smirked as Natsuya flushed, “Ok, fine, I see your point.”

“Glad we agree.”

The two men fell into comfortable silence, Natsuya rolling onto his side on the floor while Nao sat on the throne. Nao glanced down at his friend when the other sighed loudly, lying on his back with his arms spread out.

“Do you ever wonder what our lives would’ve been like if we hadn’t been picked up by him?”

Nao tilted his head back, “...All the time.”

 

The green haired man was quiet for a long moment before he spoke teasingly, "So, if Makoto's _our_  'son', does that make me the father?"

 

"Shut  _up_."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and congratulations to all who managed to make it through! i didn't scar anyone did i? ;) 
> 
> and just to clarify, Nao and Natsuya are not together, though i did toy with that idea a little while i was writing, but for now at the moment, they're just really good friends.
> 
> and i feel dumb for asking this, but does anyone have any idea of who i should make the main villain? i had originally planned on Nao and Natsuya, but i like them too much to make them completely evil (thus the last half), and i'm almost tempted to just make an OC, cause that would solve all my problems, but i don't really like OCs when it comes to fanfics....
> 
> oh, and if you haven't read High Speed 2, you really should, cause it's awesome!
> 
> again, thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He remembers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright, this is a really reaaaaally, short chapter, and more of just a little something as an apology for not updating this in a long time, but i WILL have the next chap out soon, hopefully within a couple days! 
> 
> in this chap, we get to see a little bit of what happened to Makoto before the current timeline. and when i say 'little' i really mean little.
> 
> oh, and there's a little bit of violence, and blood in this, but it's more 'abstract' so, i don't think it should be an issue with anyone...but yeah, you've been warned.

* * *

 

_His earliest memories are of shadows and sensations. Dark figures, with wordless, senseless murmurs that brought about contentment and peace. Two shadows are prominent; the larger one bringing with it the faint sensation of comforting heat and the scent of flowers and dark forests, the smaller one smelling of spices, sugar sweet goods and the sound of a half-remembered lullaby._

__

_His next memories are clearer but hazy as well. A cloaked figure--spices, sugar and lullabies--carrying him as he half-dozed while wrapped in a soft material that reminded him of heat and forests. The distant sound of rumbling and flashes of light, a distant roar of anger, and the feeling of air rushing by. He remembers feeling warm water dotting his hair as the figure above him held him tightly and wept._

__

_He starkly remembers that, but had not understood it at the time._

__

_After that, his memories are brighter, and easily remembered. He remembers his father; a tall, kind-hearted man with soft brown hair and eyes, the smell of books about him, but not of forests or flowers. His father was warm, but it was like comparing a candle to a fire, and he wondered who it was he ‘saw’ in his memories, if not the man he called ‘papa’. He remembers his mother; a woman with dark green hair, and even darker eyes with an ever-present smile on her face. The smell of spices and sugar sweet goods followed her everywhere as she hummed in the kitchen._

__

_He remembers days spent laughing with the servants who carried him on their shoulders or snuck him bits of dried fruit and other sweets when his parents weren’t looking. He remembers listening to people of all ages, genders and backgrounds, hugging legs and holding hands. He remembers meeting other children older than him, who wore strange clothes and spoke big outlandish words filled with future dreams or spoke no words at all. He remembers dark teal and bright reds that carried worn leather and desert heat, and shining blues that smelled like ocean breezes. He remembers flower crowns, childish games and pinky promises._

__

_He remembers many things; colors, smells, sounds, feelings, smiles, but no faces. Never faces._

__

_Except in nightmares._

__

_He remembers shouting, unbearable heat and the smell of ash in his nose and in his lungs. He remembers the ringing of metal, cries of pain and fear. He remembers the taste and heat of fresh blood, the smell of flesh burning, the sound of bodies tearing and falling. He remembers running from dark figures who carried blood-stained metal and finding his parents in their room._

__

_He remembers his mother screaming, clawing at a man’s cloaked form with the body of his father lying headless on the floor and fire crawling up the walls. He remembers the man pushing his mother to the ground, a large sword in his hand raised above his head. He remembers running forward as that sword swung down, the image of that man’s face burned into his memory. He remembers the man’s shocked features, thick brows and narrow green eyes. He remembers his mother shrieking. He remembers pain._

__

_Then, he remembers nothing._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yaaaaaaaaay, that's it........................*bows* thanks for reading, hope you look forward to the next chapter. hopefully, we'll get a little more background, a little more character interaction and maybe a little drama and angst, and blah. actually, i'm pretty sure the angst is a given, considering the circumstances......
> 
> oh also, i went and edited a very minor detail about Pluto/Nao in the last chapter, cause i finally got a hold of an actual picture of him! :D though i can't really tell what his eye color is, but i made a logical guess from what i could see....anyway, just fyi, if anyone cares.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orcus wakes up and tries to escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> many apologies to all who read this for the late update! and sorry again, cause it's short!

* * *

 

Orcus had to claw his way out of the black, comforting and _stubborn_ abyss that was his Other’s warm, kind-hearted soul, and back to awareness before bundling up that soft presence into a tight, secure ball and tucking it away far, far inside himself. Only once he was absolutely sure that his Other was sound asleep and wouldn’t wake up until he felt it was safe did Orcus allow himself to open his senses to the real world around him. His body felt heavy. _Weak_. Like a _human’s_. Orcus mentally hissed at that thought and continued to feel his surroundings. He was lying down--a bed, very soft and plush with smooth sheets--his left arm throbbed in that absent sort of way that told him that he was healing much slower than normal and that it was tightly wrapped. That bodyguard _had_ broken it after all, though Orcus only noted the injury with methodical carelessness. It wouldn’t prove a problem in the long run.

Other than that, it seemed he was physically fine overall, sans minor cuts and bruises and that Nyx-damned _heaviness_. He also felt overheated--a fever most likely. Finally, Orcus opened his eyes. A canopied ceiling of dark blue material was above him, and judging by the amount of light, it was either very early in the morning, or very late at night. He couldn’t tell how much time had passed since he fainted. He attempted to push himself up a little, mindful to not put any weight on his left arm and found the action not only difficult due to his weakness, but also due to metal shackles. Bright green eyes burned with an instinctive hate towards his bonds as he studied them in great detail, even as he managed to prop himself up against the many pillows behind him.

A brief scan of the room showed that he was unguarded.

Fools.

Absently, he noticed that someone had changed his clothes; he was now wearing a loose set of sleeping garments that were at least a size too big and were a garish pink color with childish patterns all over. Orcus shivered in revulsion, but turned his attention away by focusing on his restraints.  It was a connected set of shackles; a long thick chain attached to the heavy collar around his neck connected to a pair of wrist restraints, though only one of them was being used at the moment, and then traveled down to another set that was clamped just above his knees and around his ankles. Normally, it would have been very effective. However whoever had placed them on him was very naive, or just too kind-hearted.

They had, after all, left his left arm free, even if it was broken. It was their mistake, and Orcus’ way to freedom. Working past a bout of dizziness that nearly caused him to topple sideways-- _blast_ it all--Orcus managed to draw his knees up to his chest while his left hand reached up to his ear. He’d had pierced ears for a long time now, not only due to his Master’s aesthetic tastes, but also due to convenience. Earrings were a much overlooked accessory, and Orcus was going to take full advantage of it. The pair that he had chosen were one of his Other’s favorites--thin cylinders about the length of his finger made of shiny black stone and capped with gold--so with exaggerated care, he detached it from his ear and proceeded to unscrew the gold bottom off. The movements only caused a minor sense of discomfort in his wrist and making sure to not spill the contents to fast, he let a drop of clear liquid fall onto the chain connecting all of his restraints.

As soon as the liquid hit metal, a sibilant hiss filled the air. Orcus wasn’t entirely sure how the liquid worked, or why it didn’t eat through his earrings, but as long as it did its job, he wasn’t going to think too hard about it. A few more seconds and the chain fell apart. Orcus proceeded to destroy the rest of his restraints.

It was just as he was kicking off the slightly hot metal scraps from around his legs and bending the collar away from his neck when he heard the distinct sound of someone approaching the door. Just as the door cracked opened, Orcus silently vanished under the bed. From his position he could just barely make out a pair of finely crafted black leather boots come to an abrupt halt at the threshold. Orcus assumed they noted his absence. However instead of the person panicking and leaving to call for guards, the person just... _stood_ there. Orcus frowned, but remained where he was.

After a long moment, the boots finally moved towards the bed, the door closing behind the person with a _click_. The boy was tempted to whine when he heard the distinct sound of a lock sliding home soon after. That just made this a bit more complicated. He hadn’t seen any windows unsurprisingly, so the door was his only way out. Normally, he didn’t think he’d have any problems taking on a man--judging by boot style and size, not too mention the solid _thunk_ along the floor, there was little chance it was a woman--but he wasn’t at optimal levels of health. He tried to keep his labored breathing quiet, but the fever wasn’t helping and his vision was continuously fading around the edges or spinning.

When he had time, he’d have to reverse engineer that poison the bodyguard had used--it was frustratingly effective, even with all of Orcus’ training and natural immunity against such tactics. He froze when the boots stopped at the foot of the bed, and the sound of clothes rustling was the only warning he had before he was rolling away from underneath the bed. Orcus didn’t think, he just let instinct take over, and he only caught a glimpse of black hair swinging up in surprise as he headed for the door. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it very far.

The man was fast; coming out of a half-crouch and covering the distance between them in a few strides to grab Orcus’ uninjured wrist and wrapping an arm around the boy’s waist, pinning the injured arm against his side in the process. Orcus let out a silent hiss and immediately bucked, slamming his head backwards in an attempt to break the man’s nose while swinging his foot behind him to try to catch him between the legs. The man managed to twist his head to the side as well as block his foot by lifting his knee, avoiding injury while readjusting his hold and taking both of them to the ground in a controlled fall. The motion made Orcus nauseas and without much resistance, found himself securely pinned against the floor face down.

The boy made a half-hearted attempt to wiggle free but when the man’s grip didn’t budge Orcus let his body sink bonelessly against the floor, breath coming out in loud pants. The brief struggle had caused his body temperature to spike uncomfortably and now he was even hotter than before. The man shifted above him in obvious wariness at the assassin’s compliance, but Orcus was too tired and out of it to really care. He was just glad that Makoto wasn’t--

“Makoto?” the name was breathed out like a prayer, as light and soft as a butterfly’s wings.

Orcus stiffened before he could stop himself, and turned his head as far as he was able to see who was pinning him down, “...where did you hear that?”

The man’s black hair was in slight disarray and cast most of his face in shadow, but even with the lack of light, Orcus could make out the vibrant blue irises and wary expression looking at him as if he were a ghost. Orcus frowned internally. He’d ignored the feeling of familiarity he felt when fighting the bodyguard earlier, but now that feeling had increased tenfold and was almost impossible to dismiss. Somehow, somewhere, he or Makoto had met this man before. But all the more damning was that this man knew _Makoto’s_ name.

And said man just so happened to be the Prince of Ea, Haruka Nanase. Orcus felt fear threatening to overtake his mind-- _how could the Prince know Makoto’s name?!_ \--but a deep breath later and before the Prince could open his mouth to answer, someone tried to open the door.

“Haru?!” a man shouted through the thick wood, followed by several loud bangs and the door handle jiggling.

Orcus watched as Prince Haruka seemed to actually debate on ignoring whoever was shouting for him when the man let out a sigh and  gave him an assessing look. Orcus stared dispassionately back. When it sounded like the door was about to be broken down, the Prince stood up while keeping a firm hold on Orcus, who remained annoyingly limp in his grasp.

“I’m fine Rin,” the Prince called out monotonously, but loud enough to be heard through the door.

The pounding immediately stopped, though the shouting only increased, “By the _gods_ , Haru are you trying to send me to an early grave?! Why’s the door locked?!”

**  
**Orcus let his head fall heavily against the Prince’s chest; hot, dizzy and with the beginnings of a headache pounding through his temples. The shouting was not helping matters. The Prince seemed to be of the same opinion as well. With a fluid motion, Orcus dazedly felt the Prince sweep him up in his arms bridal style, though he wisely held onto both of the boy’s wrists with one hand--in an oddly gentle grip--and proceeded to somehow unlock the door and open it at the same time. The shouting graciously stopped. Orcus was let out a breath in relief, though the headache had taken a firm hold anyway. With one last look at the man holding him with surprising care, Orcus let the blackness at the edges of his vision finally take him once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright, so, unfortunately, next chap will be a loooooong time coming, cause i've sorta hit a dead end on inspiration, though i DO know where i'm going, sorta...i think........................yeaaah, anyway, thanks for reading!


End file.
